Latest Lessons

Last month, I presented a neat formula for generating two unusual and exotic hexatonic (six-note) scales. I’d now like to show you how altering only one note in one of these triads produces a different and profoundly mysterious and otherworldly sounding hexatonic scale.

Today, GuitarWorld.com and Australian rockers Ragdoll have teamed up to bring you this exclusive "Rewind Your Mind" lesson featuring Ragdoll guitarist Leon Todd. The track is from the band's latest album, Ragdoll Rewound, which merges the swagger of the Seventies, the anthemic melodies of the mid-Eighties and the sonic intensity of modern times.

For guitarists accustomed to channel switching and distortion pedals, the thought of being forced to plug straight into a clean amp can be a nightmare. But the big, bad guitar sounds of classic blues are all “straight in,” so how do players turn this apparent handicap to an advantage? The secret is to attack.

It’s definitely true that Stevie Ray Vaughan is one of my all-time favorite guitarists. Ironically, I was never really into Stevie while he was alive. Then, shortly after he died, I got hold of a video of him playing a live show and was just totally blown away by his timing, his tone, his feel, his vibrato, his phrasing — everything. Some people are just born to play guitar, and Stevie was definitely one of them.

Joe Satriani recently dropped by Guitar World's studio in New York City to shoot a few videos, including several quick lessons concerning handy licks you can use in different situations. Here's one of them—a cool string-skipping chicken pickin' lick in A minor.

I am often asked how I incorporate chromatic notes into my solos and how I approach playing “outside” the given key center of a song. If you have ever used the blues scale, then you have already employed chromatic notes in some of the most musical ways possible.

I’ve noticed something about my soloing in the last couple of weeks. First, I’m not what you would consider a “lead guitarist.” I can hang, sure. But it’s not my area and I’ve never really been comfortable playing at higher speeds. That’s alright, because I make my musical living on the rhythm and layering side of the business. But I also noticed that I had some consistent problem areas as I moved across the fretboard.

Jerry Garcia is best known as the lead guitar player and primary singer/songwriter of the Grateful Dead. Though they are regarded as pioneers of the “jam band” genre that rose to prominence in the late Sixties, the Grateful Dead, unlike many of their counterculture contemporaries, never faltered with the changing times.

You'll notice this video is much longer than the typical Betcha Can't Play This video, since it goes into greater left-hand detail — and into greater detail in general. You'll also notice there's no tab included (Again, the longer video explains the fret positions and a lot more).